# Difficulty targeting external swf

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/difficulty-targeting-external-swf/126573>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [October 25, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/difficulty-targeting-external-swf/126573 "2004-10-25T14:59:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stikigekko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@stikigekko](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/stikigekko)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/difficulty-targeting-external-swf/126573/1 "2004-10-25T14:59:28Z")

</div>

I have an external .swf that contains a sliding menu like the one here:  
[url=“[http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash5/slidingmenu.htm](http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash5/slidingmenu.htm)”]  
[http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash5/slidingmenu.htm](http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash5/slidingmenu.htm)

I am trying to load the .swf into an empty movie clip that is within a movie clip that is within a movie clip. When I load the movie, the sliding menu no longer works. I have tried changing the \_root to \_parent but that did not work. I also tried \_parent.\_parent.\_parent with no luck. I also tried changing \_root to the instance name of the movie clip that I am loading into with no luck.

I searched through the forums and found one suggestion to put:

```auto
 this.lockroot=true;

```

on the first frame of the external swf. This also did not work. Any suggestions??